A fun place for my daughter and I to post artwork and what ever else we wish to share.

Correspondence with a UMA professor about George W. Bush

 Hello professor,

I was wondering if you remember when President Bush tried to give German Chancellor Angela Merkela back rub. Was that a cultural clash, or a misunderstanding? Or does she just find him incredibly annoying?

In case you need a reminder,

It's not exactly "Presidents Gone Wild!" but for the normally staid Group of Eight Summit, a video of President Bush sidling behind German Chancellor Angela Merkel and delivering an impromptu neck rub is, well, as wild as it gets.

The scene, captured by a Russian TV camera, hit the Internet like a summer wildfire this week, and it may be most memorable for the German chancellor's reaction. Bush applies his hands to Merkel's shoulders and neck while she's speaking with Italian Prime Minister Romano
Prodi; the chancellor hunches her shoulders, then throws her hands up to stop the unexpected massage with a wan smile -- and an expression that can best be translated as "Ewwww."

Dear John,

       I recall the incident vividly. In fact the former Bureau Chief and Senior White House correspondent for the ARD (German NPR) called me and asked me "if the man had gone out of his mind," meaning President Bush, or is this normative American behavior? Other incidents such as VP Cheney wearing a military Parka at the Auschwitz 
Concentration camp memorial (as opposed to Black like every other dignitary), as well as shaking hands with gloves on were questions he had regarding normative American behavior. The Germans were attempting to assess whether or not Americans really don't know any better, or are we just arrogant and feel we can do what we like.  Getting back to your original issue, such behavior would be rude in our culture, not to mention probably constitute a "battery" in most common law states.  
Add to that "low class" and you will have the German visceral response to President Bush's behavior. Many Presidents have committed huge behavioral errors abroad. It never ceases to amaze me that the most powerful person in the world, who has virtually unlimited resources, 
can not find a person to tell them how to to behave themselves in a foreign culture. 

Posted by: Johntk1 at 18:16 | link | comments (1)
politics

John Kerry the comedian.

Okay I am convinced that John Kerry hates his party. He is no longer allowed to talk damn it! When a candidate loses an election they need to go lie down somewhere and never be heard from again. No doubt that the Bush administration is hurting the troops way more than John Kerry’s joke ever could. Lying to them about why they are there and not supplying them with proper armor and equipment. They are sending brave Americans to their deaths while Bush’s oil company buddies get real fat.

     If John Kerry couldn’t win against this failed presidency in 2004, then speaking out like an ego bloated idiot at a sensitive like this, just adds insult to injury for his party.

     Kerry, get out of the public eye and go stroke your ego elsewhere!

Posted by: Johntk1 at 01:42 | link | comments
politics

My first english paper

Our Ever Graceful President

I got an A for this paper!

When I think of the people that I have known with authority such as managers and teachers, those that stand out as the most are the leaders that exuded confidence. Leaders that have a high level of confidence could make a number of mistakes and recover with grace. A confident teacher could forget their master textbook and opt to share a student's copy as if it was the natural order of events. I believe that confidence instills a level of security to the class and or work place. Confidence in terms of a higher office like the President of the United States could make our country feel a thousand times safer than war. Confidence is what helped Bill Clinton sale through his blunders and during his administration. I often doubt our current presidential administration for many reasons. What lead me down this path of doubt is the lack of confidence and accountability of President George W. Bush.

  President Bush held a news conference in Beijing in front of a sea of cameras and members of the press. Though the pressure is extremely higher than that of a manager or a teacher's experience, however it is his natural environment.

  Our Commander-in-Chief ended the conference by arrogantly cutting off a reporter's question.   He briskly exited the podium to his right and attempted to open one of two doors before him. He tugged twice on the locked door with his right hand and felt resistance. With his left hand he tugged on the left door handle; he would not be outwitted by a locked door. Alas, he was defeated by the inanimate objects.

  What happened next can be described as the ever popular "dear in the headlights" look. He turned and gave a very confused and vacant stare that suggested blame. The President

 appeared to be frustrated and needed to appoint the blame to someone, anyone. He needed desperately to be bailed out.

  George W. Bush has no doubt lead a controversial administration. There are two issues stand out strongly in the public eye. Leading America into a war with Iraq (FEMA) was accused of not acting quickly or adequately in preparing for hurricane Katrina. He was also accused of not warning the president of the impending danger. Mike Brown was shown in a video conference along with other officials warning President Bush that the levees were not strong enough for a hurricane of Katrina's size. Within a week of the hurricane's aftermath, Bush stated that no one could have anticipated that the levees would not hold. In the past the president has said that he withholds some information for the safety of our nation. Just who or what was he protecting with this statement, his own hindsight? based on faulty information, and failure to respond adequately to the destructive aftermath of hurricane Katrina. These issues have been debated by experts of all walks of life. There are two very simple questions, were the actions taken unjust, and if not who was to blame? One doesn't need to look very far to see who took the blame. Their have been many members of the current administration that have been awarded some quality family time. Some did not step down quietly. Mike Brown the former head of the Federal Emergency Management Agency

  In the case of the locked door incident, it is easy to see the way the President operates under pressure. His action was to leave the stage, however he failed to leave in the correct direction. His reaction was to pannic.

 Earlier in the conference a reporter criticized President Bush in the form of a question. The reporter asked him about being off on his game during his discussion with President Hu. Bush answered: "Have you ever heard of jet lag?" "Well, good, that answers your question." I wonder if it would have been better to answer with an honest yes. He could have added the jet lag excuse after that and it would have appeared to be more sincere. To be fair, a high profile figure like the President of the United States would need confidence to pull that off. This act would have shown a humble ability to accept the situation for what it was and move on.

  We all make mistakes, it is a human trait. When a waiter at a restaurant is late with our food, chances are it is the cook's fault. The waiter usually apologizes and we either accept it or we don't. Just the simple fact that an apology was made provides the closure needed for the incident to pass. Wouldn't it be nice to see that kind of accountability demonstrated in our current Presidential administration?

Posted by: Johntk1 at 01:50 | link | comments (1)
politics